Frame for bags and the like



y 19, 1959 D. SOLOMON FRAME FOR BAGS AND THE LIKE Filed July 10, 1958 INVENTOR. DAN/5L SOLOMON ATTORNEY,

United States Patent M FRAME FOR BAGSAND THE LIKE Daniel Solomon, New York, N.

Application July 10, 1958, Serial No. 747,618

4 Claims. (Cl. 150-28) The present invention is directed to hand bags, more particularly to a novel construction of the frame whereby improved results are obtained.

Various structures of frames for bags of thetype described have been used. Usually the frame is attached to the bag by the use of an intermediate tape or the like. In some constructions of this kind, the frame is provided with prongs which cut into the tape and thus provide a connection. However, during the use of the bag, there is a strain placed thereon so that eventually-there is a tearing of the tape and serious damage to .the bag.

In another construction the frame is provided with 2,887,138 Patented May 19,1959

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary somewhat enlarged perspective view of one of the bars priorto the bending thereof;

Fig. 4 is a View of a charactersimilar to Fig. 3 and showing the tape which is fitted into the bar;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the bar and tape in the process of assembly; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which the tape, after the assembly is complete, is attached to the body of the bag.

There is provided a pair of bars '1 and 2 which are hinged together at 3 so :that theflat faces 4 and 5 respectively thereof are substantially in contact when the bag is closed.

Each of the bars as shown in Fig. 3 has on the side opposite thefiat face 4 and near .one edge thereof, a rib 6 here shown as arcuate in cross-section providing a constricted portion or neck 7 which defines a substantially circular opening 8. The tape of molded plastic material has abody 9 and an enlarged head 10. A restricted pot tion 11 just below the head provides a shoulder 12. Body 9'is tapered so that the free edge 13 is quite thin and a slot and the tape is set into the slot along one edge of the tape and the slot is closed to frictionally engage the tape. This entails a disadvantage in that if the pressure in closing the slot is too great, the tape is damaged and eventually during use of the bag, the tape would be cut and the bag thus damaged. If the pressure in closing the slot is too little, then there is a tendency in carrying a loaded bag for the tape to pull out of the frame.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome the difiiculties and disadvantages inherent in the structures of the prior art, it being among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple and effective means for joining the frame and the tape with the use of a minimum number of operations.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a tape of a novel cross-section which is adapted to fit into a slot or opening in the frame which is of similar form so that there shall be no pinching of the tape, no danger of the tape accidentally pulling out of the frame, and in which the strain inherent in the use of the bag is distributed over a relatively large area.

It is further among the objects of the present invention to provide a molded tape of the character described, which is cheap to manufacture, is easy to install in the frame members and which may be locked into position by the simple bending of the frame into its final form.

In practicing the present invention, there is provided a pair of flat bars each of which has a longitudinal rib extending from one of the faces of the bar near one edge thereof. The rib defines an opening of a special shape. There is also provided a tape preferably of a molded plastic material, which has a head portion conforming with the shape of the opening, and a body portion which is tapered to the free end thereof. In order to assemble the bar and the tape it is merely necessary to slip the head of the tape into the opening and then bend the bar into the usual U shape. The angles thus formed tend to compress the tape and to prevent slippage thereof.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bag made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing the frame and tape of the present invention in position in the completed structure, some parts being broken away;

Referring to Fig. 5, the tape 9 is manipulated so that head 10 enters opening 8 of bar 1 and his slipped in place as shown by the arrow. After the tape and bar are in complete alinernent, the .bar is bent :at'both ends as shown at 14, forming a EU .shaped' member. The compression of the tape which has some degree of elasticity, applies sufiicient friction so that it is held firmly in place against all danger of accidental displacement.

After the bars 1 and 2 with the assembled tapes are hinged together at 3, the tapes are stitched to bag 15, as shown at 16 in Fig. 6.

There are a number of advantages inherent in the present construction. It is quite economical in that the frame members which are preferably of metal, may be extruded through dies continuously and then cut into strips of the required size. The tape itself may be similarly molded or extruded and may be made of thermoplastic or thermosetting material, after which it is cut to the same size as the frame members. Then the members and the tapes are slipped into place and bent into U shape; thereby a minimum of labor and expense is expended in the making of the present frame.

Because the bar has a restricted neck 7 and the tape has a similar restriction 11, the assembly is firmly held and there is no possibility of the elements coming apart. The bar has a rounded portion 12' which cooperates with the shoulder 12 of the tape so that the strain in use is distributed and there is no undue pressure at any restricted area. Since the tape is tapered and is flexible, it is a simple operation to stitch the bag to the tape at the thin end thereof. On the other hand, since the tape is tough and flexible, there is no distortion of the bag when it is fully loaded and being carried.

Although the invention has been described setting forth a single specific embodiment thereof, the invention is susceptible of various changes in the details without departing from the principles herein set forth. For instance, opening 8 need not be circular but various other geometric shapes are suitable. Bars 1 and 2 do not necessarily have to be rectangular in cross-section but variations may be made in the shape thereof. The invention is applicable to various types of bags such as dispatch cases, brief cases, hand bags and the like. These and other changes may be made in the details without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hand bag a frame consisting of a pair of flat bars bent into U-shape and nested together, the free ends thereof being hinged, the bases of said bars having corresponding faces in approximate contact when the frame is closed, each of said bases having a fiat face, a longitudinal rib extending from the opposite face or: one of said bases near one edge thereof, a longitudinal rib extending from the corresponding face of the other base near the edge opposite said first rib, each of said ribs being curved and defining with said base an opening having a restricted neck, a molded tape having a head fitted into said opening and a restricted portion fitted into said neck, said tape having a shoulder below said restricted portion.

'; 2. In a hand bag a frame consisting of a pair of fiat bars bent into U-shape and nested together, the free ends thereof, being hinged, theibases of. said bars having corresponding faces in approximate contact when the frame iS'ClOSCd, each of said bases having a flat face, a longitudinal rib extending'from the opposite face of one of said bases near one edge thereof, a longitudinal ribextending from the corresponding face of the other base near the edge opposite said first rib, each of said ribs being curved and defining with said base an opening having ,a restricted neck, a molded tape having a head fitted into said opening and a restricted portion fitted into said neck, said tape having a shoulder below said restricted portion, said tape capable of being inserted in said bars before bending thereof.

, .3. In a hand bag a frame consisting of a pair of flat bars bent into U-shape and nested together, the free ends thereof being hinged, the bases of said bars having corresponding faces in approximate contact when the frame is closed, each of said bases having a flat face, a longitudinal rib extending from the'opposite face of one of said bases near one edge thereof, a longitudinal rib extending from the corresponding face of the other base near the edge opposite said first rib, each of said ribs being curved and defining with said base an opening having a restricted neck, a molded tape having a head fitted into said opening and a restricted portion fitted into said neck, said tape having a shoulder below said restricted portion, said tape being tapered from said head to the free edge thereof.

4. In a hand bag a frame consisting of a pair of flat bars bent into U-shape and nested together, the free ends thereof being hinged, the bases of said bars having corresponding faces in approximate contact when the frame is closed, each of said bases having a fiat face, a longitudinal rib extending from the opposite face of one of said bases near one edge thereof, a longitudinal rib extending from the corresponding face of the other base near the edge opposite said first rib, each of said ribs being curved and defining with said base an opening having a restricted neck, said opening being approximately circular, a molded tape having a head fitted into said opening and a restricted portion fitted into said neck, said tape having a shoulder below said restricted portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent I I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,028,216 Hiering Jan. 21, 1936 

